This invention relates to modules for matrix transformers and similar applications wherein a metal foil secondary winding is bonded to the inside surface of one or more magnetic cores with terminations being extensions of the metal foil brought to the end or side of the magnetic core. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,353 xe2x80x9cHigh Frequency Matrix Transformer Power Converter Modulexe2x80x9d (Herbert, Repp and Cebry). A number of design improvements have been made to this Power Converter Module while bringing it to production, in particular, the use of square cores having a square hole therein.
Until the present invention, all of the modules have used a two turn secondary winding which was usually used as a push-pull winding having one turn on each side of a center-tap termination. If it was necessary to generate more output voltage than this single winding could produce, then more cores were added in series.
In all embodiments of the modules made to the present, the foil windings have been bonded to the inside of the core in a 180 degree helix. The 180 degree helix is not necessary for the electrical or magnetic properties, but it allows a very simple and neat termination of the module, as may be seen in the drawings of the referenced patent and the drawings herein showing prior art. It was not thought to be possible to install more windings and terminate them neatly.
This invention teaches that four metal foil windings can be bonded to the inside of the core, each in a 90 degree helix. Very simple direct connections and straight connections can connect the windings with no crossovers or overlaps and so that the center-tap and output terminations are located similarly to the two turn version yet make a module with four turns. This may be used as a push-pull winding having two turns on each side of the center-tap, or it may be used as a four turn winding, as, for instance, with a full bridge rectifier in a power converter.
Because the terminations are very similar, it can be introduced into present manufacturing with no modifications to the rest of the mechanical parts. Component values may change, though, because the output voltage and current may be different.
     
     